An international beach vacation may not be in the cards this summer, but the new Passifolia tableware collection by Hermès brings a touch of the tropics into your home.
Perfect for an inspired dinner party or an al fresco adventure in the backyard, the line of 30 pieces — from coffee cups to pretty platters — showcases a rich use of color and craftsmanship. Each item displays a different, hyperrealistic flora or fauna, like orchids, ferns and hibiscus.
At Hermès, in River Oaks District
Snacks and apps at 1891 (photo by Andrew Hemingway)
Appetizer platter at 1891 (photo by Andrew Hemingway)
This Heights neighborhood hangout has a couple of options for party platters that include everyone's favorite part: snacks!!! One has crispy pork rinds; corn chips with smoked queso; and cornbread bites with jalapeno jam (serves 8-10, $60.99). And another inclues soft pretzels with chili-crunch butter and smoked queso; pimento cheese with tortilla chips and "wickles;" and hot honey ribs (serves 8-10, $89.99). Need something a little bigger? Snag 12 sliders smothered in spiced aioli, cheddar cheese and grilled onions for just $59.99.
Gameball Cake (courtesy of Carvel)
No party is compete without dessert! Score a Gameball Cake (serves 10-12, $29.99) made with Carvel ice cream from Buttermilk Baby, also in the Heights. The three-layer ice-cream cake includes vanilla ice cream and chocolate ice cream, separated by a layer of the brand’s famous Chocolate Crunchies. Cakes are available for walk-in pickup at Buttermilk Baby, or call the restaurant to place an order.
Beef fajitas at Candente (photo by Jenn Duncan)
Tex-Mex made with smoked goodness? Sign us up. Candente's Fajita Feast — mesquite-smoked chicken or beef fajitas with all the fixings — can be scaled to feed up to 50 people (10lb, $999).
Carnitas at Hugo's
Opt for the usual suspects — carnitas, enchliadas, taquitos, and quarts upon quarts of margaritas and other large-format cocktails — or choose the mouthwatering Carne Brava Family Meal. It comes with 1lb of marinated wood-grilled skirt steak, onions, poblano peppers, salsa and a dozen corn tortillas ($55).
The delectable restaurant with locations in Katy and The Woodlands supplies some fun twists on standard game-day fare. Try the salt-and-pepper wings — breaded, fried salt-and-pepper style with red onion, jalapeño, Thai basil, and a 13-spice house blend. They come with a choice of sweet mango chili or Phat curry sauce. Or, for a little variety, snag a party tray of Malaysian street food. Phat's famous roti canai with curry dip; equally famous and award-winning beef rendang; satay skewers; stir-fried noodles and veggies; and salt-and-pepper calamari are among the options. Choose a half-tray or full tray.
This Third Ward bar has an electric game-day atmosphere, but is catering to at-home parties, too! Its Super Bowl special offering is the Savoy Super Platter with a whopping 300 wings, naked or in a variety of sauces, with fries for $450. Preorders are required and can be made on The Savoy's website.
Level up the bar with a selection of two dozen grab-and-go frozen craft cocktails. This fun spot on the Southwest Freeway has great deals on offer for Super Bowl weekend, including a half-gallon of frozen sidecars for $60; a gallon of Shan's Lemon Drops for $100; and 8oz variety packs starting at $50. It's also a one-stop shop for food, with gallons of gumbo and chili, red beans and rice, and scratch-made fried chicken available for pickup as well.
During the renovation, the building was taken down to the studs, and it now showcases a sleek design that emphasizes books and the joys and comforts of reading; it will still also sell toys, games and gifts, and tout a remodeled B&N Café. The layout is similar to that of other recent Barnes & Noble openings, and the bookseller's new look has been well received across the country since 2022.
"We are thrilled to welcome our customers back into this beautifully redesigned Town & Country Barnes & Noble,” said CEO James Daunt in a statement. “We thank our loyal customers for their patience during the rebuilding and also thank our bookselling team for the momentous work they have undertaken. There is a particular pleasure to bring such an ambitious new bookstore back to a community in which Barnes & Noble has for so long been embedded.”
The grand opening (Jan. 29 at 10am) is hosted by bestselling Houston-based fantasy author Katherine Quinn, who will sign copies of her books, including the newly released To Shatter the Night, book two of The Mistlands Duology.
“I am so excited, humbled and honored to be bringing our new format Barnes & Noble store back into the Memorial community,” said Store Manager René DeLaPortilla. “We are so happy to be a part of the fabric of this area again.”
